The Dragon Princess tilted her head, her golden hair shimmering under the torchlight of the underground market.
"Dransart, where are we going? What is your true aim?"
I answered firmly, "We are going to Catastrophe. I will claim its power and become emperor of this world."
Her eyes widened. "That urban legend… you truly believe it?"
I revealed what I had learned—the whispers of the Holy Eye, the hints of Catastrophe's existence. She gazed into my golden lid eye, saw my sincerity, and nodded. "Then I will follow you."
We reached the famous city, its streets buzzing with cultivators and forgers. But I avoided the cultivation centers. "The king will have predicted this," I explained. "Instead, we go to the black market. My old comrades spoke of an auction there."
My Infinite Ring shifted into a mask, concealing our presence. Through the profile panel, masks appeared for my companions as well. Together, we entered the underground auction.
At the gate, a guard demanded a password.
I spoke calmly:
"We are not evil.
We are not good.
We are humans,
Who will eradicate other races
By seeking mysterious items."
The guard nodded, granting us entry. My companions thought, He truly is the Hero who killed the Demon King without faltering.
Inside, the catalogue was handed to me. The Holy Eye whispered, Do not worry. I can sense the aura of the weapon meant for you.
I watched silently as slaves were paraded—demon girls sold for coins. One was purchased by Sanot, though he did not notice me. Rage burned, but I held back. If I kill him here, the king will know. Patience.
Then came the first item: an unidentified weapon. Its surface was cracked, its form battered. The crowd dismissed it as worthless.
The Holy Eye urged, Buy it. Its potential surpasses any weapon I have seen.
I frowned. "It looks damaged. A broken sword."
Trust me, the Eye insisted.
The bidding rose from 100 to 500 coins. I offered 550. The weapon was mine.
The auction continued. My Lucky Looter skill itched, a hunch guiding me. I waited.
Finally, the last item appeared: a mysterious key. Its initial price was 10,000 coins. The auctioneer admitted it was not a master key, its chest unknown. No one bid.
I raised my hand. "10,100 coins."
The key was mine.
The Holy Eye pulsed. You now hold two items of fate—the broken weapon and the mysterious key. Together, they will guide you closer to Catastrophe.
I clenched my fist. Then this is the beginning. The path to emperor, the path to destroy humankind's tyranny, starts here.
Thus, Dransart leaves the black market with two relics of destiny: a broken weapon with hidden power, and a mysterious key to an unknown chest. The journey to Catastrophe deepens, and the shadow of his ex-comrades looms ever closer.